Oklahoma’s Supreme Court on Tuesday halted enforcement of three laws related to abortion, voting 5-4 to put them on hold pending legal challenges, KOSU has reported.
The ruling is in line with the court’s position that the state constitution guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion when necessary to preserve her life, although the procedure remains illegal in virtually all other cases.
The three laws addressed by the court include: HB 1904, which requires physicians who perform abortions to be board certified in obstetrics and gynecology; SB 779, which requires physicians administering abortion drugs to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital; and SB 778, which requires an ultrasound to be performed 72 hours before administering abortion drugs.
Rabia Muqaddam, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, a New York-based abortion rights organization that sued the state, joined by Oklahoma abortion providers, hailed the decision.
“We are grateful that the Oklahoma Supreme Court recognized how these laws are medically baseless and threaten grave harm, while ensuring that they remain blocked as this case proceeds,” she said. “This is welcome news, but the devastating reality is that Oklahomans still do not have access to the abortion care they need.”
A spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said their office is reviewing the court’s decision and will respond accordingly.
“It is worth underscoring, however, that these decisions do not impact Oklahoma’s prohibition on abortion that remains the law of the land,” Phil Bacharach said.
Abortion is still mostly illegal in Oklahoma. Its statutes define a medical emergency as: “A condition which cannot be remedied by the delivery of the child in which an abortion is necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness or physical injury including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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